Customs officer at LAX arrested in Philippines weapons smuggling case

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at Los Angeles International Airport has been arrested in connection with what federal agents say was a sophisticated, more than four-year scheme to smuggle weapons from the United States to the Philippines.

Customs officer Wilfredo Maralit, 48, and his brother, Rex Maralit, a New York City police officer, were arrested Thursday and charged with conspiring to violate the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, authorities said Friday. They were assisted by a third brother, Ariel Maralit, who lives in the Philippines, according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, the Maralits smuggled high-powered assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols and firearms to the Philippines from January 2009 to March 2013.

The most dangerous weapon the Maralits allegedly smuggled was the Barrett M82A1 .50-caliber semi-automatic rifle, which authorities say is capable of penetrating body armor and exterior building walls.

The brothers allegedly solicited orders from customers in the Philippines and purchased guns through brokers and dealers in the United States, at times after they got a discount offered to law enforcement officers. They then took apart the weapons and sent them out of the United States, without accurately declaring what they were shipping, the complaint states.

The brothers lacked the proper gun export permits from the U.S. State Department, according to the complaint.

Wilfredo Maralit, who lives in Garden Grove, made his first court appearance Friday afternoon in Santa Ana, but federal authorities expected the case to be moved to federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Jaime Ruiz, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection in Los Angeles, said in an email that the agency does not tolerate corruption.

“CBP leadership has placed great emphasis on integrity, and does not tolerate actions that would tarnish the reputation of our agency,” Ruiz said. “CBP will fully cooperate with any investigations of alleged unlawful conduct, on or off duty, by any of its employees.”